Alabama § 25-15-7 - Regional Workforce Boards; Establishment; Duties; Meetings; Objectives. (Amended by Act 2026-538)

§ 25-15-7. Regional Workforce Boards; Establishment; Duties; Meetings; Objectives. (Amended by Act 2026-538)

AMENDED BY ACT 2026-538, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE.

(a) At the direction of the Governor, the Secretary of Workforce shall establish seven regional workforce boards to serve as Alabama’s local workforce development boards for purposes of Section 107 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-128), as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 3122. The Department of Workforce shall establish bylaws governing the membership and activities of the regional workforce boards in compliance with WIOA. The local workforce development boards shall be certified by the Governor pursuant to 29 U.S.C. § 3122(a).

(b) The Secretary of Workforce shall establish geographic boundaries of the regional workforce boards and criteria for the appointment of members to the regional workforce boards consistent with WIOA, including 29 U.S.C. § 3122 and 20 C.F.R. § 679.110. One such criterion shall be a duty for an appointing official to consult with the Secretary of Workforce before making an appointment to a regional workforce board.

(c) The Department of Workforce may adopt rules pursuant to the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act to carry out this section.

(d) A regional workforce board shall perform the functions set forth in WIOA, including each of the following:

(1) Develop a local plan as provided in WIOA, consistent with the WIOA State Plan and the Strategic Workforce Plan.

(2) Publish, for core and partner agency and public use, workforce research and regional labor market analysis using primary state labor market information provided by the department.

(3) Convene local workforce development system stakeholders to assist in the development of the local plan.

(4) Lead local efforts to engage with a diverse range of employers.

(5) Lead local efforts to develop and implement career pathways.

(6) Lead local efforts to identify and promote promising workforce development strategies.

(7) Lead local efforts to integrate data and technology systems.

(e) A regional workforce board shall submit an annual budget request to the Secretary of Workforce and the executive committee that is consistent with the Strategic Workforce Plan. A regional workforce board’s annual budget submission shall demonstrate that the membership of the board satisfies the relevant WIOA state workforce development board membership requirements, including the requirements set forth in 29 U.S.C. § 3122 and 20 C.F.R. § 679.320. The membership of any regional workforce board may not exceed twenty members. A regional workforce development board may not expend state or federal workforce development funds except pursuant to a categorical annual budget approved by the Secretary of Workforce.